System and method for electronically tagging items for use in controlling electrical devices

Abstract

A system and method for electronically tagging items for use in controlling electrical devices are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a controller; a tag reader interface in data communication with the controller, the tag reader interface being configured to receive item information read from an electronically readable tag attached to an item placed in an electrical device; a display device driver in data communication with the controller for driving the display of operational messages for a user/operator of the electrical device, the operational messages being based on the item information; and an appliance interface in data communication with the controller for receiving control commands from the controller and for issuing corresponding control signals for controlling the electrical device, the control commands being based on the item information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a controller; 
 a tag reader interface in data communication with the controller, the tag reader interface being configured to receive item information read from each of a plurality of electronically readable tags directly attached to each of a plurality of items placed in an electrical device, the tag reader to determine, based on the item information, at least one of a wet weight of the item and a dry weight of the item; and 
 an appliance interface in data communication with the controller for receiving control commands from the controller and for issuing corresponding control signals for controlling the electrical device, the control commands being based on the item information. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a scanner interface in data communication with the controller, the scanner interface being configured to receive item information read from each of the electronically readable tags directly attached to each of the plurality of items placed in the electrical device. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the electronically readable tags is of a type from the group consisting of: a microchip, a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag, a barcode, and a Quick Response (QR) code. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a network interface in data communication with the controller, the network interface being configured to enable the controller to communicate with external network resources. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the item information is of a type from the group consisting of: item care instructions, the item manufacturer, a date of manufacture or purchase, a name or identity of an owner or purchaser, and an item stock keeping unit (SKU) number. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a display device driver in data communication with the controller for driving the display of operational messages for a user/operator of the electrical device, the operational messages being based on the item information from the plurality of items in the electrical device. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device is of a type from the group consisting of: a clothes washer, a clothes dryer, a steam cleaner, an industrial clothes press, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, and an appliance. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the item information includes a number of times that the item has been processed and the control commands are based on the number of times that the item has been processed. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the number of times that the item has been processed is a number of times that the item has been at least one of washed or dried. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the number of times that the item has been processed is stored in the electronically readable tags. 
     
     
       11. An appliance comprising:
 a tag reader configured to read item information from each of a plurality of electronically readable tags directly attached to each of a plurality of items placed in the appliance, the plurality of items being placed in the appliance for one or more cycles of the appliance, the tag reader to determine, based on the item information, at least one of a wet weight of the item and a dry weight of the item; and 
 an appliance control module in data communication with the tag reader, the appliance control module including:
 a controller; and 
 a tag reader interface in data communication with the controller and the tag reader, the tag reader interface being configured to receive the item information read from each of the electronically readable tags directly attached to each of the plurality of items placed in the appliance; and 
 an appliance interface in data communication with the controller for receiving control commands from the controller and for issuing corresponding control signals to the appliance, the control commands being based on the item information. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The appliance of  claim 11 , further including a scanner interface in data communication with the controller, the scanner interface being configured to receive item information read from each of the electronically readable tags directly attached to each of the plurality of items placed in the appliance. 
     
     
       13. The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each of the electronically readable tags is of a type from the group consisting of: a microchip, a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag, a barcode, and a Quick Response (QR) code. 
     
     
       14. The appliance of  claim 11 , further including a network interface in data communication with the controller, the network interface being configured to enable the controller to communicate with external network resources. 
     
     
       15. The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the item information is of a type from the group consisting of: item care instructions, the item manufacturer, a date of manufacture or purchase, a name or identity of an owner or purchaser, and an item stock keeping unit (SKU) number. 
     
     
       16. The appliance of  claim 11 , further including a display device driver in data communication with the controller for driving the display of operational messages for a user/operator of the appliance, the operational messages being based on the item information from the plurality of items in the appliance. 
     
     
       17. The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the appliance is of a type from the group consisting of: a clothes washer, a clothes dryer, a steam cleaner, an industrial clothes press, a dishwasher, and a refrigerator. 
     
     
       18. A method comprising:
 reading each of a plurality of electronically readable tags directly attached to each of a plurality of items placed in an electrical device to retrieve item information from each of the electronically readable tags, the plurality of items being placed in the electrical device for one or more cycles of the electrical device; 
 determining, based on the item information, at least one of a wet weight of the item and a dry weight of the item; and 
 issuing control signals for controlling the electrical device, the control signals being based on the item information. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further including scanning item information from each of the electronically readable tags directly attached to each of the plurality of items placed in the electrical device. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further including displaying operational messages for a user/operator of the electrical device, the operational messages being based on the item information from the plurality of items in the electrical device. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus comprising:
 a controller means; 
 a tag reader interfacing means in data communication with the controller means, the tag reader interfacing means being configured to receive item information read from each of a plurality of electronically readable tags directly attached to each of a plurality of items placed in an electrical device, the tag reader interfacing means to determine, based on the item information, at least one of a wet weight of the item and a dry weight of the item; and 
 an appliance interfacing means in data communication with the controller means for receiving control commands from the controller means and for issuing corresponding control signals for controlling the electrical device, the control commands being based on the item information.